


I Know The Truth

by PizzaHorse



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Best Friends, Bonding, Comfort, Concern, Confessions, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, Drama, Dreams, Established Relationship, F/F, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Feels, Female Friendship, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Honesty, Relationship(s), Talking, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-03-26 18:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19011223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PizzaHorse/pseuds/PizzaHorse
Summary: When Cassandra has a not-so-innocent dream, it opens up a whole flood of feelings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [damn am i really having this dream again??](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/538918) by vapunzel. 



> Takes place between: "The Eye of Pincosta" and "Rapunzel and the Great Tree" (or wherever you see fit).

Cassandra wakes to find herself immobile. Arms, legs, torso, hands, ankles, all bound to an uncomfortable wooden chair.

"Who are you?" A voice rings out, and Cassandra looks up from trying to determine what she's been restrained with. It's not rope, that's for certain.

"My name is Cassandra. I've come to rescue the lost princess," she says, with as much authority as she can muster. She doesn't exactly have the upper hand, and appeasing her captor is probably her best bet. Still, seeming timid is not her strong suit.

 _"I'm_  the lost princess," the mysterious captor steps out of the shadows, revealing herself to the guard.

It's then that Cassandra realizes what's restricting her. It's hair. Long, golden locks spring from the head of the princess, swirling in random patterns on the ground and culminating around her and the furniture. An unorthodox but effective tactic, she notes.

"All of Corona has been searching for you, your highness," she squirms under her confines, but she's tied up tight.

"And now you've found me," she slinks across the room, coming to stand in front of Cassandra. She reaches a hand down to cup her chin, pulling her face upwards. The guard gets a good look at those sparkling green eyes, before the princess descends and envelopes her in a deep kiss. She doesn't protest, leaning into the intimate touch. She's dreamed of this moment many times before.

Rapunzel straddles her legs as the kiss becomes more passionate. Cassandra fights against her restraints, wanting desperately to touch her, but not being allowed. Rapunzel rolls her hips, sliding against Cassandra's lap, and she can barely suppress a whine as she feels a wave of heat rise up her body.

"You kept me waiting a long time," the princess says breathily.

"My apologies, princess," Cassandra leans forward as the princess pulls back, aching for her touch again.

"Since I had to wait so long for my freedom, now you'll have to earn yours," she dips down again, and her soft lips meet Cassandra's with renewed fervor.

As the guard melts into the kiss, so too does the princess, and soon Cassandra finds her hands roaming the delicate hips of the woman occupying her lap. One hand trails up, gloved fingers making contact with the flawless skin of the princess's neck. She shudders beneath the touch, which compels Cassandra to grab a fistful of that blonde hair and pull her head back. Their lips part, but Cassandra keeps hers busy with the exposed neck and collar of the princess.

"Cassandra…" the breathy whisper of her name makes her pause, looking up at her romantic companion. Eyes closed, lips parted, chest rising and falling as she allows herself to be absorbed in the moment. Cassandra carries on with her nipping and suckling, teeth and tongue playing along the perfect untouched skin. She certainly doesn't want to disappoint her princess.

"Cassandra, Cassandra, Cassandra!" Rapunzel's voice rises in pitch as she carries on. It encourages her to be bolder, sliding a hand down to lift the purple dress. She hears her name being called again, this time louder, more pronounced, less breathy. More urgent, almost.

Cassandra wakes to see Rapunzel standing over her. Looking up and taking stock of her surroundings, she determines she's inside the caravan. Still on the journey to follow the Black Rocks. She blinks, pushing down the last traces of a wonderful dream, sighing groggily as she sits up on the edge of the bed.

"Raps? What is it?"

"You were breathing heavily and squirming a lot. I thought you might be having a nightmare."

Cassandra can feel a blush rise from her shoulders all the way to her face, and she quickly turns away. "Nightmare. Yeah. Right. I need some air."

She stands and makes her way to the door, opening the top half and letting in daylight. She leans out, surveying the trees around them, trying to judge what time it is by the location of the sun. Her frequent night watches have made for a lot of day naps, altering her perception of time and the passing of days. She yawns, the fog of sleep lifting, although her mind keeps replaying the events of her most recent dream.

Rapunzel appearing by her side does not make it easy. "You know, when I had nightmares back at the castle, it helped if I talked about them. You've always been there to listen to me. I want you to know that I'm here for you too," she reaches for Cassandra's hand, but the lady-in-waiting senses the touch before they meet, and preemptively pulls away.

"Thanks, Raps, but I'm fine. I'm good," she smiles wanly, taking in a deep breath of fresh air, hoping to scatter any remaining indecent thoughts. This isn't the first time she's had a dream like this, and with Rapunzel standing next to her, hair glowing in the sun, eyes sparkling in the light, she knows it won't be the last. Daydreams and night dreams of the princess have filled her head ever since the day they met. She thought they might subside after a while, but they've only gotten worse. Now, they're cooped up together in the small room they share in the caravan, and every day it gets harder to hide her feelings.

"Are you sure?" her voice is layered with concern, and it makes Cass's heart ache when she thinks of all the things she's hiding. "You won't tell me about your dream?"

"You really want to know?" Maybe she's too tired to think clearly, or maybe the heat of the day is getting to her. Whatever the reason, Cassandra decides opening up is better than dealing with inquisitive glances from Rapunzel for the rest of the day. When she decides she wants something, she doesn't let up, and the lady-in-waiting can tell she's overtly curious about the dream.

"Yes, of course I want to know! I get that you want to be seen as this fearless warrior. But it's okay to be vulnerable sometimes. I won't tell anyone," This time, she reaches for Cass's shoulder, and makes contact. Her affectionate smile is always so tender, it melts Cassandra's heart right into a puddle on the floor. It's always so hard to say no, and this time, that soft look wins out.

"It wasn't a nightmare. It was-" she's trying to determine the best way to explain her salacious sleep scenario, and decides it's best to just jump right in and let the consequences happen as they may. "I find you in the tower. Before Eugene ever arrived. You've tied me up with your hair, but you're not threatening me. You're not even scared of me. You make your way across the room and sit on my lap, and then you start to  _kiss_  me. Before I know it, I'm free, and my hands are on your hips and you  _like_  what's happening.  _I_  like what's happening. I kiss your neck and run my hands through your hair and along your body, and just when I go to slide my hand up your leg- well, you woke me up," she's staring out at nature, not wanting to meet Rapunzel's eyes, but when she's silent for several moments, she has to.

She's met with wide eyes, some sort of shocked, and her heart plummets as she recognizes this was a mistake. "Look, Rapunzel, I'm sorry. Forget about it, okay? It doesn't mean anything," She hasn't bolted or thrown Cassandra out, which is frankly confusing considering the expression on her face.

But her features relax as she asks, "Do you have a lot of dreams about-" Cass sees her mouth something, more quiet than a whisper, before she seems to rethink what she was going to say and finishes with, "-involving girls?"

"No," Not anymore, anyway, "Just you, Raps."

"I didn't know girls could do  _that_."

It suddenly hits Cassandra like a ton of bricks that Rapunzel might not understand her predisposition towards women. Of course. She'd been locked in a tower most of her life. Her exposure to persons with a preference for the same gender would have been minimal, if not completely non-existent. "I guess you wouldn't, huh? Well, they can."

"And that's allowed?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know, I guess- I've never met someone who…" she trails off. She's known Cassandra for nearly two years, so actually, she has met someone, and now she's rethinking every interaction they've ever had that she may have misinterpreted.

"You've probably met more than you think, Raps. It's not a big deal. We're just regular people."

"No, of course you are, I just-" Her thoughts are scattered in all directions. Rapunzel wants to ask Cassandra some personal and prodding questions, some of which are related to certain personal moments the two have shared, but all that comes out is, "So you like girls like I like Eugene?"

Cassandra hates the comparison, but she supposes it's the closest example to her personal inclination that Raps has to work with."I guess? Probably."

She nods like she understands, but looks like she wants to say more. Cassandra can see the cogs in her head turning, trying to piece together her thoughts. Usually new situations or experiences have her bubbling with questions and curiosity, but this time, she looks like she's concentrating very hard on processing this new information.

"Raps?" Cassandra ventures. Maybe she needs a little encouragement to say what's on her mind.

"So, if you have dreams about me, does that mean you like me?" she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, her query sounding innocent.

Cassandra's face heats up, and she realizes disclosing her dream has now landed her in hot water. Face-to-face with Rapunzel, she can't exactly lie her way out of this, and anyway, she's been truthful for the rest of this conversation, so why stop now? "I've always liked you, Raps. I mean, just, you know, as a friend likes another friend," she settles on a thin half-truth.

"But as more than a friend, too?" Rapunzel prods.

It’s been so long, Cassandra was sure Raps would never catch on to her crush, and anyway, she has Eugene, so it would never work. Maybe she’s being so honest now because that fact finally settled in and she’s ready to move on. Now that she knows Raps had never really been rejecting her advances and was more naive than she thought possible, things started to shift. Her heart thrummed in her chest, her confession finally out in the open, at least partly.

She swallows, knowing it's too late to turn back now. She may as well get this over with. "Yeah, Raps. But like I said, it's no big deal. You're with Eugene, and that's okay. I'm okay with that. I don't fight with him because I'm trying to break you two apart or anything. He's just seriously  _annoying_ ," Cass can only hope Raps believes the last part, because it is true.

"Right, of course, Cass! You'd never do something like that to hurt me. Right?"

"Right. I lo-  _like_  you too much," she pauses, letting more words spill as she decides to get everything off her chest here and now, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

Rapunzel is quiet for awhile. The sound of chirping birds and rustling leaves fills the empty air between them. It's peaceful out here. Maybe it's the freedom from the hustle and bustle of the city that's finally given Cass the clarity to say what she needs. Maybe, out here, she can't distract herself from her feelings, because there's no giant castle to get lost in and no training grounds to take out her frustrations on.

"How long?"

"Huh?"

"How long have you known about your feelings?"

That's an easy one. "Since the day we met."

"You knew right away?"

"Yeah, Raps. I think I kind of knew before then, too."

"But I've known you almost as long as I've been at the castle. How could you?" she sounds confused, and Cass can understand why. Rapunzel doesn't fully realize that the entire city of Corona spent nearly two decades waiting for her to come home. All of her subjects have known about her long before she even knew about her royal heritage.

"You didn't know me. But I knew you. I grew up hearing stories about the lost princess. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being the one to rescue you. I imagined all sorts of dangers I would have to face to free you. A lot of the citizens of Corona gave up hope. Some assumed you were dead. But somehow, I knew. I hoped, anyway. I hoped I'd be the one to find you, and then I would be your hero, and maybe-" she's rambling, and shuts her mouth before she reveals too much. The more she says, the more she feels like she's trying to win Rapunzel over, when the last thing she wants to do is come between her and Eugene.

"Maybe?"

Yep, she's said too much. Cass runs a hand down her face, and opens the bottom half of the door so she can step out. Raps follows close behind. "-maybe we'd live happily ever after," she finishes, reluctantly. All the walls she's worked to build over the past several months have all crumbled down in one spectacular heap.

"I'm going to go forage for some supplies," she's almost ready to bolt into the woods and never come back.

"Cass-"

She can feel Rapunzel's eyes on her as she disappears into the undergrowth, but she can't bear to look back. She doesn't even know what kind of supplies they need; all she knows is she needs some time to clear her head and get some space. Maybe, if she's lucky, Raps will let this all go by the time she gets back. Maybe, if she's not so lucky, Raps will have even more questions. Well, she's got time to figure out how she's going to dodge a potential interrogation about her feelings. She's always managed before.


	2. Chapter 2

It's been hours, and Cass has let herself get lost once or twice, just for the fun of it. Well, not the fun of it, so much as she is avoiding going back to camp. She's never been one for wasting time, but today, she's making an exception. She knows that wherever she roams, Owl can help her find her way to the others. At least, she hopes so. If not, well, she guesses she'll just live here now.

But somehow, she finds her way back before dark. Her satchel's full of herbal and some more rare plants, that the group can use or barter for other goods. Food is easier to come by, so she hasn't wasted her time on it. With her training, she's pretty much the only one of them who can tell the different types of flora they come across, and its uses. They'd probably all have died or turned back without her, honestly. So she  _has_  to come back.

"Cassandra!"

She nearly turns around and heads right back into the forest. But the sound of her name on Rapunzel's lips tugs at her heartstrings, and she feels almost forced to look at her. There's Raps, standing outside the caravan, looking distressed. Her fists are clenched, one over the other, pressing against her chest. Cass wants to run to her, to hold her tight and tell her everything will be okay, like she always does, but she knows that for once she's the cause for her being distraught.

"I was worried about you."

 _I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you._  is what she wants to say. She wants to take Rapunzel in her arms, kiss her gently on the forehead, and hold her close, telling her everything is okay now. They're together again.

But that's not the life she's living, so it's not what she says.

"Raps, I can take care of myself," she rolls her eyes and smiles. She doesn't want her sudden disappearance earlier to become some big thing right now. She tries to pass Rapunzel so she can sort through her findings inside the caravan, but a hand on her shoulder stops her.

"You can't just go off alone!"

"I can, and I did."

"You're always telling me not to wander off."

"That's different. You can't track your way back. You can't forage and live off the land for days on end. Do you even know how to set up a temporary shelter? Or build a fire? I know you can hold your own in a fight, but surviving in the woods is a lot more difficult. I worry about  _you_. You don't get to worry about me," she pushes past, setting her bag down on a table inside.

Rapunzel follows, and Cassandra can tell from her demeanor that their conversation from earlier is far from over. Cass settles into a chair, and Rapunzel takes the one on the other side of the table. She sighs, looking anywhere but at the princess, hoping if she ignores her maybe she'll go away. She isn't usually this cold toward Raps, and a pang of guilt has started to wind its way through her stomach. She's not good with feelings, she knows, which is a polar opposite to her best friend.

Finally, the silence stretches too long between them, and Rapunzel bursts out, "I  _do_  worry about you, Cass! I've been beside myself all day waiting for you to get back. I didn't even know if you were coming back at all! You didn't tell me anything when you left. I was afraid you were mad and you were going to do something reckless. I don't know how I can live without you! How I could make it to the end of this journey without you. I can't possibly comprehend how much you sacrificed to be here with me. Putting your life on hold, leaving behind the only family you know, being away from home for who knows how long. Cass, I never fully understood why you did all that for me, until today.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rapunzel's voice is pitched, like she's trying to hold back tears. Cass has always been there to comfort her when she's upset, and it pains her that she can't do that now. Here they are, on the road, with who knows how long a journey ahead of them, and she just had to open the Pandora's box of her heart.

"Because it wouldn't have mattered," Cassandra replies, plainly. She shrugs for emphasis, trying to play off this whole conversation like it isn't affecting her. Trying to brush this all off so Rapunzel lets it go. Trying, in her own way, to make the problem go away by ignoring it.

"What do you mean it wouldn't have mattered?! You had a dream! Your hopes and dreams matter to me, Cass. Why is it so hard for you to accept that I care about you?"

Cassandra doesn't know how to respond to that. She's spent her whole life pushing others away, focusing on the here and now, concentrating on meeting her goals and not letting anything or anyone stand in her way. Having a social life was a waste of time, in her opinion, but more and more she's learning that perhaps skipping the crucial life step of having friends made it much more difficult to talk about herself now. She leans back in her chair, blowing stray hair out of her eyes.

"Raps, it's  _silly_."

Rapunzel taps her fingers on the flat surface. She drove Cass away earlier, and she's not prepared to go through all the panic and worry of losing her best friend again. But this is important, for the both of them, to get this out in the open.

"Tell me, please. Tell me everything. No more secrets. I've never been afraid to confide in you, Cass," she reaches across to place her hand over Cassandra's, then thinks better of it and returns it to her lap, "Please, trust me too. Tell me what I can do to earn your trust."

"Raps, it's not about that," Cass sighs. She feels like every word she says is driving a wedge between Rapunzel and Eugene, but every word she doesn't say is driving a wedge between Rapunzel and her. Maybe Rapsl is right. Maybe trusting her is the right thing to do. Trusting her, not just with her private personal thoughts, but trusting her with the ability to be able to continue to love Eugene and ignore her feelings, just as she has for months.

"Okay, so there's this whole thing I made up like, one time. I'm riding into Corona with the lost princess. Everyone's cheering and celebrating, but none of that matters because you're right there with me. You feel safe in my arms, leaning back against my armor, a little frightened by all the attention, but you know I'll protect you so it's okay. We arrive at the castle and the king and queen are overjoyed to have you back. That evening, there's a whole banquet in your honor, and I get the privilege of sitting next to you.

"After that, I get offered any position in the royal guard that I want. I choose to be your personal bodyguard. Keeping you safe from all dangers, showing you around Corona, helping you adjust to your new life. Opening doors for you, sliding out your chair when you sit down, lifting you over puddles so your feet don't get wet. Staying by your side every moment you're awake, and making sure you're taken care of.

"One evening, when I've brought you back to your room for bed, you tell me how nice it is having me around, and how lucky you are that I found you. You invite me into your room for a moment, away from the door guards. You hold my hands in yours and confess that you think you're falling in love with me. You're nervous about it, but I think it's cute how flustered you are. Then, I tell you I've been in love with you for a long time.

"You're so relieved that you lay your head on my shoulder and wrap your arms around me. It's all so warm and comforting, and the only thing that makes it all the more perfect is when you step back and look into my eyes, smiling. I can tell you want to say something from the way you keep fidgeting and looking away, but instead of speaking, you practically leap forward and plant your lips against mine. It's surprising, at first, but I can't deny I've wanted this for a long time. So I give in, letting my hand tangle in some of your hair, the other hand resting against your hip. It doesn't last long, but afterwards I bid you goodnight and leave quickly.

"After that, our evening talks become longer and more frequent, until one night I stay until morning, holding you in my arms. We decide we have to tell the king and queen, your parents, if we really want to stay together. King Frederic takes some coaxing before he comes around, but Queen Arianna helps convince him. She's suspected for awhile that something has been going on between us, mostly thanks to the other guards who can't keep their mouths shut. But she's supportive, and that's what matters. Eventually, the king comes around too."

"For something you say is silly, that was a very elaborate description," the way Rapunzel says it sounds like she doesn't really mind hearing Cassandra go on and on about her imaginary scenarios. "Is that why you trained so hard all your life? So you could be ready to take care of  _me_?"

"No! Of course not. I trained to- because-" Cass swears under her breath. The question catches her off guard. "Obviously, to impress my father."

"Obviously," Rapunzel echoes, but she doesn't sound convinced.

"Look, it was a whole big fantasy when I was younger, but that was all  _way_  before I met you. Besides, I never really believed any of it would come true. Dreams are just that, dreams. They're not reality. That's why I focus on the here and now, like my dad taught me. All that's important is what's right in front of me."

" _I'm_  right in front of you," Rapunzel points out, even though it's not entirely accurate. It seems like the right thing to say, in the moment.

"Yeah," Cass says, softly, turning to meet Rapunzel's gaze. "You are. And you're what's most important to me."

Rapunzel pauses at that, and Cassandra knows it's because she can't reciprocate. She has Eugene, and he is and should be the most important person in her life. And if not him, than her parents. Either way, Cassandra is down a ways on Raps' list of important people. She knows she's important to the princess, in some way, but not  _the_  most important. She's always been aware of that reality.

"That's not fair," Raps says with a scowl.

"You're right. It's not," Cassandra counters, as a smile pricks at the corners of her mouth for some reason, like it's funny Rapunzel somehow thinks things are unfair from  _her_  point of view. The princess, with the boyfriend and the biological parents and the servants and the inheritance. Her life is  _really_  unfair.

"What about your dad?"

"He's great, and I appreciate everything he's done for me, but… our relationship is complicated," he was a good man, a strict father, and he fed and clothed her for the majority of her adolescent life. But when it came to affection, he was lacking in that area, and in later years it made their relationship strained. Maybe that factor contributed to Cassandra's own inability to communicate her feelings. Coupled with his determination to hold her back from becoming an official royal guard, and well, he wasn't always her favorite person.

"You don't think  _this_  is complicated?!"

"I've been trying to avoid it being complicated for months, so yeah,  _now_  it's complicated. You wanted honesty, you got honesty," Cassandra reconsidered spending a night in the woods.

Rapunzel takes a deep breath, letting her exasperation subside. "Well, I'm glad you told me. I don't like when we keep secrets. Especially when they're about something so significant. You mean a lot to me, Cass. And since we're being honest, until today I never thought of you as more than a friend. I didn't realize I  _could_. So I need some time to think about that. About us. Nothing has to change between us right now. I don't want it to. I like what I have with you, and the friendship we've built since I first met you. I hope all of this honesty helps bring us together, instead of driving us apart."

"I hope so too, Raps," she smiles, wistfully, knowing things will never fully be back to the way they were, when Rapunzel was naive to her feelings. "But what we need to focus on is the mission ahead. We can't afford to get distracted. It won't do either of us any good to dwell on what might have been," it's the same thing she tells herself every day, even if it fails to help her feel better about her situation.

"Right. You're right, Cass," she reaches across the table and offers her hand, and her best friend takes it tentatively. It's not the first time they've held hands, but this time, it feels more intimate. Cassandra trusted her with her whole heart, and in return, she asked for focus. Confessing her feelings must not have been easy, but Rapunzel is grateful everything is finally out in the open. It's been a long time coming.

They still have each other, as friends. Rapunzel thought that was all they needed, but now, she's not so sure. She suspects Cassandra dwells on what might have been, a lot, despite her insistence such frivolous thoughts are pointless. Her animosity towards Eugene makes more sense now, too. Whether or not she admits it, she's secretly jealous of him. Jealous of him living her dream.

Maybe this journey will give her the time she needs to sort through her newfound knowledge of Cassandra's inner struggle, and her own budding feelings for her best friend. There's still so much about the world she has to learn, and this revelation from Cass has opened up a whole new aspect of relationships she's never considered. Maybe Cassandra's dream doesn't have to stay a dream. Maybe, when they get back, there's a way to make this work.

They have time. There's always later.


End file.
